A Mother's Love
by angelladyspring
Summary: "A father's love for his daughter is hard to overcome unless it's by a mother's love for her daughter" Countess Cassandra loves her daughter but when Valtor endangers her daughter, how far will she go? (AU in which Cassandra is actually good)


A Mother's Love was written as part of a challenge in the Winx Club Amino with the question "What if one of the villains were good?" I chose Cassandra.

This takes place in the second episode of Season 3 and follows its plot with a twist. Some of the dialogue ( or actually a lot) is taken from the episodes and is a mix of the 4kids and mostly Nick dub (no Rai, since I don't like the Voice Acting and in terms of lines it's super close to the Rai (at least it was for the episodes 7 and 8 and I did not test it again).

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"What are you doing here?" Countess Cassandra glared at her daughter. "A young woman of noble birth does not look about in hallways" Chimera kept quiet, sending her a defiant glance as her mother entered the room where Stella stored her gifts. She had after all come to greet her future stepdaughter, not that Stella knew quite yet.

"Hello Stella" Cassandra gave warning of her arrival. "May I present? Countess Cassandra" Stella introduced her. "She's a Lady-In-Waiting in the royal court" the princess whispered to her friend, but Cassandra could still overhear. She said nothing about it. Instead she curtsied in front of the heir with Stella returning the favour. Stella might have more manners than her own daughter, she thought with a sigh.

With all greetings done, she wandered to the gift table, taking her own and presented it to Stella. "Oh, here, this is the present I got for you, I hope you like it" she smiled as Stella happily inspected it, glad her daughter had good taste and a similar one to Stella. "My daughter chose it; she is in the advanced sorcery programme at Beta Academy. Come say hello Chimera" Cassandra was well aware her daughter was still lurking about and she was not above a little pettiness to educate her daughter.

And her daughter came, big fake smile on her face, with an uneasy hello on her lips. Cassandra wondered what it was about. She had no time to react though as Princess Stella stormed up to her daughter. "You! You're the one who stole my dress" Stealing a dress? "What is going on, I don't understand?" she asked. "Let's just say the two of them already met on Magix and they have the same taste in clothes" Cassandra was impressed by the very diplomatic answer of Stella's friend and she sensed there was more going on. But this was something she would ask her daughter later (and maybe try to confirm with Radius if it had to come to it).

While Cassandra talked to Stella's friend, she heard the two girls arguing until both ladies stormed of when Stella shouted, "I'm not going to wear your hand-me-down to my princess ball". Cassandra sighed. "Please excuse me, it seems my daughter and I need to have a little chat" There was a fire in her eyes, she would get to the bottom of this.

She followed her daughter, unimpressed she had shoved one of the servants, thankfully he needed no help getting up. This was how her daughter behaved? And at the royal palace no less? She knew the servants talked and soon her daughter would be the talk in the palace, she had to set her daughter straight.

"Chimera" her tone demanded attention when she entered her daughter's current room. "What is this I hear of an unfortunate meeting in Magix? And then I discover you spying on the princess?" She wanted answers and she wanted them now.

"I was only dress shopping and then she showed up, all enraged when it turned out, there was only one dress left of the one I wanted. How was I supposed to know?" Chimera asked and Cassandra had to let go of her breath. "There are pictures of the royal family, I expected you to know your etiquette and houses to recognize the princess and most important to not start a fight with her. Do you understand? Tomorrow once both of you have cooled down enough you will properly apologize to her, better yet in front of Radius" Cassandra hoped Radius presence would calm Stella's temper she had already born witness to.

"But that is not fair" Chimera complained loudly. "Why do **I **have to apologize?" It would be so much easier if the two could get along. And well, while Chimera was not completely wrong, she would need to show goodwill, too. "I'm only saying you and your future sister should get along. Fighting won't accomplish anything and sometimes being the bigger person is the better option" Chimera slumped "She should be the bigger person then, she is the princess" Cassandra turned to hug her daughter, except she turned away.

"Chimera, you will be a member of the royal family and you should be a role model. And as a member of the royal court, as Stella's sister even you will have high standing so you will be able to get a good match and..." Only she could not speak further since her daughter interrupted her. "Oh, I know what this is about" Chimera hissed. "So get out of my room" Chimera only got louder and Cassandra knew any reasoning with Chimera had to be done tomorrow. "Alright, see you at dinner" the Countess left the room with these words.

If only she knew her daughter was about to be visited by a black wizard.

Maybe the future events could have been prevented, maybe she could have still talked sense into her own daughter. Years later, and it still rang bitter in Cassandra. But we are not there yet and our story is only beginning.

The next morning is the day Cassandra starts to lose her daughter.

The first time she sees her daughter, she is sporting a look with crumbs. "Chimera, by the light of Solaria, what happened to you?" Countess Cassandra is concerned, she knows Chimera is vain and normally would be doing her own beauty routine. "What do you think, it's all Stella's fault. I can't stand her, she's got everything I don't, she's got a crown, clothes I'd give anything to bring her down"

"That's enough" Cassandra declared, standing up from her chair. "Chimera, you will not behave like a jealous little child, you are a proper young lady, as a future member of the royal court you will respect the princess" She will do her damn best to have the future sisters come along and if she has to whip Chimera into shape. Jealousy does not become a woman well nor do fights amongst themselves. Even more if recent news where to be believed and Andros was in uproar.

"My, what an unpleasant atmosphere" someone stated, before the tell-tale signs of magic signalled the arrival of a newcomer through a portal. "Who are you, what are you doing in our room?" Cassandra is outraged and defensive. Magicians are less common than fairies, more erratic, less predictable. She is on her toes but still it does not prepare her for his attack on her daughter. "Chimera" she shouted, fear gripping her as Chimera gets trapped in his magic.

"Perhaps you should be more understanding of your daughter" he mused; Cassandra glared at him except he only shrugs. "What do you want?" she spat. She can't even look at her daughter, uncomfortable in her bindings, trying to say something (probably an insult, she knows her daughter) but not able to.

"Just a ray of sun, milady. I simply want to bathe for a moment in the magic light that illuminates Solaria" Just he says, Cassandra cannot believe him. "No, I cannot allow this" And she can't, she, the future queen must protect the citizens of Solaria, this stranger is so eerily familiar until she knows, realization grips her. "You're Valtor, the black magician banished to the Omega Dimension" An amused smirk forms on his lips. "That would be correct. By my own reputation you should know that your daughter's life is in my hand. You should do as I say"

Cassandra found herself facing an impossible decision. Aid Valtor against Solaria's citizens or lose her daughter. "I... I can't" she admitted, she cannot decide between the two. Her duty had always been important to her, it was why she and Radius were engaged but her daughter, dragon, she heard her daughter whimper. "Mother, please" she sobbed, tears streaking down her face and fear in her eyes.

The Countess faltered and Valtor saw he had won her over. "Countess just lead me to the spire of the sun and your daughter will be safe" Valtor beckoned her with his hand and Cassandra's shoulders sagged. "Very well, follow me" Her daughter stayed in the room, frozen through the spell. They encountered Stella's friend along the way and Cassandra prayed Bloom says nothing, relaxing when she only asked for directions.

"Guards, I would like some privacy please, leave me alone." She did her best not to have a trembling voice, the guards know her, would know if something was up. She had to act as good or else her daughter's life may be forfeit. Thankfully they believed her, and she led Valtor into the room. "Alright, Valtor, here is the sun of Solaria" The unspoken 'Now release my daughter from your spell' hangs in the air.

Still, she watched helplessly as the second sun restored Valtor's powers, knew she doomed countless realms and all because she loved her daughter. "And now my dear lady, it's time to keep my promise" With a snap of his finger, the curse upon her daughter his gone and Valtor as well. What had she done? Saved her daughter but send dozens of others to their deaths. It felt wrong, so wrong when she hugged her daughter.

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